Daughters of Bast: The Hidden Land
by Sarah Isidore

In the land of the Celts, the Druids are the spiritual
leaders of the tribes. To cure a deadly plague,
the Druids determine that they must sacrifice a black
cat to their Gods. Veleda, a young girl with Druidic
blood in her veins, is sent to find the cat. She finds
a beautiful black cat, but sets it free at the last minute,
although she knows she will incur the wrath of her
people for doing so. The cat is actually a magical
creature named Mau, and leads Veleda into the
forest where she finds a fabulous temple and the
Egyptian Goddess Bast. Bast gives Veleda special
powers, and she returns to her people to train as a full
Druid. Veleda has been chosen to lead her people against
the invading Julius Caesar, and she will have many
trials to face in order to free her people -- and
perhaps even find true love for herself.

The Hidden Land is the first book in a trilogy
of the Daughters of Bast. Author Sarah Isidore
combines Celtic religious and spiritual practices
with Egyptian mythology in an unusual and
fascinating way. Veleda, the Druid who is
caught up in the war between the beneficent
and mysterious Bast and her evil sister, the Goddess
Sekhmet, is a complex woman caught in
forces beyond her understanding. The unusual
mix of Celtic and Egyptian mythologies make
an interesting background for the magic,
action and romance which permeate this
compelling story.

The Heart of a Witch
by Judith Hawkes

In upstate New York sometime in the late 1950s,
teenaged twins Kip and Shelley Davis lived in
a small and prosperous village named Green Hollow.
The twins were always fascinated by the Victorian
inn located across the street from their home. The
Lockley Arms was home to wealthy and interesting
guests, and the twins eventually got jobs there.
But the Lockley Arms has its secrets; in residence
is a witches coven, led by the beautiful Snow.
When two of the thirteen members of the coven die,
Kip and Shelley ask to take their places.
Becoming members of the coven, they learn much
about magic and themselves. But jealousy and an
old crime rear their ugly heads, and Kip and Shelley
become involved with events and forces which
are beyond their powers to control.

Heart of a Witch is a compelling portrait, both of
the Wiccan religion and of the growing pains that
affect all adolescents. The story is really about the human
heart; its passions, its desires and its dark side.
Hawkes is a master of suspense and pacing; the
story builds, slowly at first, then picking up
pace until the shocking conclusion. Her prose
is rich and seductive, providing an eerie yet
compelling world for this unsettling, yet
utterly engaging story. Highly recommended.

The Stone and the Maiden
by Dennis Jones

Mandine Dascaris is the heiress to the throne of
the Ascendancy, the once-mighty, but now
crumbling empire, ruled by the King, her
ruthless father. Assisted by
Erkai the Chain, an evil sorcerer, the barbaric
Tathars are sweeping across the countryside,
killing everyone in their path. With the help of
her Gods, Mandine escapes, and meets
a young soldier, Key Mec Brander, who will
help her in her quest to find the Stigmata,
an ancient magical relic which will help Mandine
and Key vanquish Erkai and restore the Ascendancy
to its former glory. On their journey, they will encounter
adventure, magic and romance.

The Stone and the Maiden has all the right
ingredients for a rousing fantasy tale: good, evil,
magic and romance. Mandine's family is simply
ghastly: neither her cold, ruthless father or her
power-hungry stepsister are the types to engender
any kind of positive family feeling. The fantasy
world is well-imagined and the mythos is appealing.
With the number of characters and subplots
introduced, this story is well positioned for the
sequel. An excellent entry which will
please romantic fantasy fans.